County News

While monitoring continues, Lehigh Valley Breathes officials used the most recent project update to explain results from the research this spring at Lehigh University.

Jurors convicted the former president on all 34 counts after deliberating for nearly 10 hours over two days. They found he falsified business records in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 presidential election.

Northampton Area School Board directors twice failed to fill a vacancy. They have asked Northampton County Court to fill it for them, instead.

Essentially a scholastic scrimmage for environmental science, the annual Envirothon combines classroom learning and outdoor activities to engage students in the environment. The state competition was held Wednesday at Camp Mt. Luther in Mifflinburg.

County Executive Lamont McClure said the closings mark the end of a significant chapter in the county’s COVID-19 response. More than 3.5 million cases and 50,000 deaths in Pennsylvania have been attributed to COVID since 2020.

State revenue generated by Wind Creek Bethlehem and Mount Airy Casino will help Bangor renovate a fire hall, Lower Nazareth Township purchase a new police vehicle and improve seating at a Freemansburg amphitheater.

The Diocese of Allentown announced several moves among priests in its 78 parishes — part of an annual process led by an advisory board of priests and approved by Bishop Alfred Schlert.

Inspired by battery fires in the Lehigh Valley and across the state, the bill would put the onus on manufacturers to provide safe recycling options for lithium ion batteries, as well as launch an education campaign for residents.

Rose Josephine Hnath, 78, was found dead in her North Whitehall Township home in January 1989. She had been repeatedly stabbed and beaten, Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan said.

U.S. Rep. Susan Wild said plans to consolidate the Lehigh Valley's mail processing center appear to have been pushed back. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy backed off a controversial cost-savings effort after receiving pushback from a bipartisan contingent of the U.S. Senate.

In addition to two Lehigh County fatalities, three people have died in Northampton County crashes since Saturday, according to the Northampton County Coroner's Office.

A 605-pound black bear harvested in the Lehigh Valley has ranked one of the largest in the state to be bagged during its most recent season, and was the sixth-heaviest bear in Pennsylvania for 2023.

Lawmakers announced the $40 million infusion that they said will support a new Northside Logistics and Cargo Complex. It will include a new dock facility and direct truck-to-aircraft loading apron at LVIA.

Gov. Josh Shapiro was in Bethlehem on Tuesday to announce the expansion of the state’s Property Tax/Rent Rebate program. Older, disabled residents can apply for rebates up to $1,000. State Rep. Steve Samuelson authored the legislation.

Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure asked county council Thursday to repeal tax breaks for the developer of the planned River Pointe industrial park, less than a year after council voted to extend them.

The Pennsylvania Department of State is starting a new office to help train county election workers, Pa. Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt said. It also plans to update its guidance for logic and accuracy testing that could have caught issues with the Northampton County voting machines.

Only some of the newest Northampton County elected officials are actually new to county government. The new slate of county elected leaders will take office Jan. 2.

The Lehigh County Courthouse will be closed Thursday as officials deal with a small electrical fire that occurred early Wednesday morning.

The new position will appear on the ballot in 2025. The Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas had one of the higher caseloads for counties of its size.

If ultimately completed, the combined health care system would operate 30 hospitals and more than 700 outpatient sites, with more than 62,000 employees, according to LVHN and Jefferson Health.

Northampton County Council bid farewell to four members Thursday evening, including its first Black president, Kerry Myers.

Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure announced Monday he approved the county's 2024 budget, leaving in place amendments made by the County Council last week.